Gold? Silver? Bronze? To heck with them, it's Hasbro's answers to SSG questions for August 15th, 2008! Thanks again to Hasbro for the answers, to all the folks who sent in questions and especially those who voted on them.

Hasbro Q&A for the week of August 15th

SSG: Many folks feel the big Millennium Falcon to be a true masterpiece in Star Wars toys, but speaking with the designer at Comic-Con, one of the things learned was that the original design for the toy was even bigger than what we got before budgetary realities found its current size. Were there arguments about what features could be packed into the final version? Did Lucasfilm have any specific requests of ideas to do or not to do? What features were on the bubble and barely made the cut? What features (beyond voice recordings, as we know Leia and Lando didn't make the final results there, along with about 40 more minutes of "vital" Falcon dialogue that was originally considered), if any, didn't make the final cut?
Hasbro: JT - sorry, out designer is not here to answer your question this week. We will have to follow-up with this answer.

SSG: Back in November of '06, you answered a question about the canceled Yavin Accessory set and its Rebel ground crew tech by saying that you liked him but he wasn't exciting enough to do at the time. Now with the Scramble on Yavin battle pack, you have a new, much better version of that Ground Tech coming out, but the original pack's ladder, crates, lights, and direction baton accessories are still missing in action. Those accessories seem like they'd fit perfectly with this new "Scramble" battle pack, but alas no. Did you make molds for those accessories, and if so, could you run them and find a way to get those awesome and much-desired accessories into fans' collections in the near future?
Hasbro: We did make tools for those accessories, but they are at a different factory and were not available for this accessory set. We are looking at how to use them in a future set.

SSG: In the event that Hasbro collaborates with ToyFare Magazine or another outlet on a new open-entry official Fans' Choice poll, could you provide the voters a short list of characters that Hasbro absolutely cannot do - such as the Tonnikas - to ensure that the poll results are as useful as possible rather than having unusable entries? Hypothetically, if you were to do that, what characters might go on that list?
Hasbro: You hit on the only characters that would be a waste of time on the list. Everyone else is fair game.

SSG: Follow up from the last round, the Y-wing Droid Slot Q&A exchange (see the previous round (http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=38585) -JT) left us a little confused as the bomb-dropping gimmick has been on that toy since its inception in the Kenner ROTJ line when it had the aforementioned droid slot, and were hoping to get clarification on what happened here...
Hasbro: Yes, it was our mistake on that one. Very sorry. The answer, as it turns out, was not mechanism-related, but aesthetic-related. The Power of the Force droids would not fit into the vintage droid slot, and it would have had to have been made bigger to accommodate. At the time, the Lucasfilm team did not like the aesthetic, and the direction was to tool it over. As a result-- (and then, mysteriously, it cut off in mid-sentence. We'll get back to them and hopefully get that last segment soon. -JT)

SSG: Speaking of follow-ups, Hasbro also sent the final word from the SDCC 1-on-1 Q&A on the Titanium Outrider, it's added to that article (http://www.sirstevesguide.com/index.php?categoryid=48&p2_articleid=1579).

- - -

And the questions at ActionFigs.com (http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=12&p2_articleid=1916):

From your Comic-Con slideshow image, it's impossible to tell, so what's the articulation like on the upcoming Legacy Collection ANH Obi-Wan Kenobi? Some fans fear it will be a repeat of the under-articulated VOTC Ben Kenobi. And might there be any way to release the TLC Obi-Wan's table accessory through alternate means, perhaps in a "Viewing of Leia's Hologram" battle pack with Obi-Wan's foot locker accessory, or maybe bribery & blackmail?
We're aware that Hasbro's license for Battlestar Galactica expires at the end of the year, and many collectors are saddened because the BSG ships are often highly thought of (and most are highly sought-after!). Might Hasbro pursue future BSG licenses? Has the BSG Titanium line been doing as strongly as hoped? How did it rate compared to Star Wars Titaniums? We've seen listings for the BSG Titanium Basestar, will this piece be released before the license is up, and will there be any other new BSG Titaniums released (like Hasbro's previously-mentioned Cylon Heavy Raider)?
While your Comic-Con display showed new Star Wars Transformers with Grievous' Starfighter, the TIE Bomber, and the V-19 Torrent (which didn't have the correct tag on it in the display unfortunately, and we've yet to see the vehicle mode - could we get a photo of that?) with their minifigs inside the cockpits, it appears the newly repackaged SWTFs have no minifigs at all. Have you guys really removed the minifig concept from the line, and if so, why? Doesn't that detract from the whole point of the Star Wars characters piloting mechs aspect? Will the minifigs displayed with the 3 new SWTF molds displayed at Comic-Con not be included with those sets?

JediTricks

08-16-2008, 02:57 AM

Well, this is an interesting round. Some rather candid and fascinating answers. And I've never had a round that required 4 follow-ups before (Falcon, Obi-Wan articulation, Titanium Cylon Heavy Raider, and the Y-wing), but I assure you I will pursue those follow-ups, they're already queued up at the very top of my Q&A voting file.

bigbarada

08-16-2008, 03:04 AM

I knew that was the problem with the vintage Y-Wing. I got one off of Ebay a few months ago and tried putting the VOTC Artoo in the empty slot and it was a no go. The vintage astromechs are a lot smaller and that's who the slot was made for.

I think the only real appeal of the Tonnika sisters is the fact that Hasbro says they can never be made into action figures.

figrin bran

08-16-2008, 03:05 AM

They just skirted over the Obi Wan question on Action Figs!

sebillba

08-16-2008, 04:52 AM

They just skirted over the Obi Wan question on Action Figs!

They completely ignored it!! Is this to be one of your follow-ups JT?

Devo

08-16-2008, 11:11 AM

I think the cutting off mid-sentence on the Y-wing question was deliberate. The question was answered and the 'as a result' bit was to allow us to draw from their explanation......"the Y-wing was given a fixed droid instead".

Banthaholic

08-16-2008, 12:22 PM

SSG: In the event that Hasbro collaborates with ToyFare Magazine or another outlet on a new open-entry official Fans' Choice poll, could you provide the voters a short list of characters that Hasbro absolutely cannot do - such as the Tonnikas - to ensure that the poll results are as useful as possible rather than having unusable entries? Hypothetically, if you were to do that, what characters might go on that list?
Hasbro: You hit on the only characters that would be a waste of time on the list. Everyone else is fair game.

Well they did NOT say no to Ackmena. :thumbsup: And with a bunch of new cantina denzions slated for early '09, Wuher might need another hand to serve a drink.

Ji'dai

08-16-2008, 12:40 PM

Wait... why won't they make the Tonnika sisters?

Mr. JabbaJohnL

08-16-2008, 01:44 PM

Wait... why won't they make the Tonnika sisters?
Lucasfilm didn't get their approval 30 years ago to use their likenesses. Christine Hewitt gave them the go-ahead at Celebration III, but Angela Staines stepped in and said they could not make that figure since it was "her" character, and Hasbro wanted to avoid any legal trouble. Hewitt has since died, and Hasbro told me that the only way to make the figures now would be to wait for Staines to die as well.

DarkJedi5

08-16-2008, 02:12 PM

Huh. What if they only made the one and we could buy two of them?

Jargo

08-16-2008, 02:15 PM

anyone know a hitman?

Devo

08-16-2008, 07:09 PM

I too was considering that joke. :D ........of course it was a joke.

Anyone see the questions from Sandtroopers.com? 3 questions/ 3 complaints. I don't know if its the rule with them, it probably isn't, but I think they ought to strike a better balance between praise and criticism lest hasbro think we're all unappreciative *expletives*.

I totally disagree with their question: 1) In every Hasbro Q&A I have seen, every site complains about wanting more playsets, more playsets, MORE PLAYSETS!! Now the Sarlacc Pit and the Lars Homestead playsets are coming out and most people are underwhelmed by these offerings. To be honest, they're rather lame and have very high price tags. What kind of marketing research was done for these playsets? I really don't see the Lars Homestead set as being a good seller at all. Shouldn't playsets be based on scenes of major action in the movies therefore making it an exciting piece that children as well as collectors would want to buy? The Lars Homestead is not. Our fear is that these are test items. So my question comes down to this - If the Sarlacc Pit and Lars Homestead playsets don't sell well, will we see a further turning away from Hasbro manufacturing playsets?

They seem to want to encourage Hasbro to make playsets yet they're telling them that the ones they've put out are crap (they aren't) and that they won't sell because kids won't be interested? Bit of a paradox. I'm thrilled by Hasbros upcoming battlepacks and am thoroughly relieved that in at least the cases of the Homestead and the Yavin pack Hasbro have opted to not necessarily go for the kiddie market - nice, as an adult collector, to have some acknowledgment. I don't expect the homestead to be the most detailed or in-scale* piece nor do I care that the figures are repacks I don't need, but since its unlikely we'd have gotten it any other way I'm very happy. To me that little hut will really add to the appearance of my purchase of the droids scene - I won't even use it as a hut - I'll pretend its a sheltered stairway down into the 'actual home'.

*having said that I do hope Yodas house will be bigger if they ever make it

Beast

08-16-2008, 07:37 PM

Huh. What if they only made the one and we could buy two of them?
I believe if I remember correctly that the problem is that Staines could argue that due to the "Twins" nature of the characters, that the figure could be of her. Since I believe that nobody knows which one of the Tonnika Sisters was played by her and which one was Christine Hewitt. So she could basically go after Hasbro for using her likeness without permission. Especially since the card would feature the film frame upon it.

JediTricks

08-17-2008, 02:34 AM

Ok, someone needs to 'fess up! Why the hell did Raving Toy Maniac ask, word for word, a question we have had in our poll for 2 rounds now? http://www.toymania.com/news/messages/10560.shtml

An Astromech Droid question... After waiting over half a decade for a better R2-B1, many fans were very disappointed with the way the 2007 TAC R2-B1 came out. While he utilizes a superior body to the original version, the dome paint came out terrible. His dome is a dull, slightly purple, flat gray-colored plastic that doesn't look good and is out of place with every other astromech droid; the movie version had a silver metal dome only slightly duller than the average R2-D2 figure's (such as the silver paint on TAC #04 R2-D2, or R2-KT). Was the deco on the R2-B1 figure done so oddly on purpose, and if so, why? Is there any chance that we will ever get a better R2-B1 with a more metal-looking dome, perhaps as a build-a-droid?This isn't like "the author submitted it to multiple sites" because I took Dexter's question and modified it like I normally do to have maximum effectiveness:
http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?p=627921#post627921

After waiting over half a decade for a better R2-B1, many fans were very disappointed with the way the 2007 TAC R2-B1 came out. While he utilizes a superior body to the original version, the paint came out terrible. His dome is a flat gray that makes him look completely ridiculous and out of place with every other astromech droid. Was the paint on R2-B1 done so oddly deliberately, and if so, why? Is there any chance that we will ever get a perfect R2-B1, perhaps as a build-a-droid?To become: http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showthread.php?t=38317

After waiting over half a decade for a better R2-B1, many fans were very disappointed with the way the 2007 TAC R2-B1 came out. While he utilizes a superior body to the original version, the dome paint came out terrible. His dome is a dull, slightly purple, flat gray-colored plastic that doesn't look good and is out of place with every other astromech droid; the movie version had a silver metal dome only slightly duller than the average R2-D2 figure's (such as the silver paint on TAC #04 R2-D2, or R2-KT). Was the deco on the R2-B1 figure done so oddly on purpose, and if so, why? Is there any chance that we will ever get a better R2-B1 with a more metal-looking dome, perhaps as a build-a-droid?Every single one of those 702 characters are identical to the question that RTM ended up sending in a whole month later. Look, I don't mind getting the question answered through another outlet, but I do work extremely hard to make our questions the strongest they can be and to see that work stolen and handed to another site is frustrating and demoralizing, it takes the reward I get from doing this away and that's all I've got going right now for this.

And keep in mind, this also makes it that much harder to get unique questions and answers, it was only by my editorial decision that I didn't send in that R2-B1 question last round, it had enough votes to make it and I held it back a round thinking the other questions were more timely so this could wait. If I hadn't done that, we'd be stuck with even less answers this week than the handful we did get. So please contact me if you plan to do that in the future, it'd be best for everybody if all the sites got our ducks in a row to get maximum answers.

(BTW, awesome crazy story answer!)

I think the only real appeal of the Tonnika sisters is the fact that Hasbro says they can never be made into action figures.Not true! On my first Year in Review entry as part of the site's staff I asked for them long before I knew they couldn't be made.

They completely ignored it!! Is this to be one of your follow-ups JT?Yup, I mentioned that in the 2nd post even.

I think the cutting off mid-sentence on the Y-wing question was deliberate. The question was answered and the 'as a result' bit was to allow us to draw from their explanation......"the Y-wing was given a fixed droid instead".That's my theory too, but it could be more elaborate and I'd rather have a complete answer. They haven't penalized us for their mistakes in quite a while, so I'm not afraid to ask for the follow-up.

Well they did NOT say no to Ackmena. :thumbsup: "That they did surely not." "Uhhh... wha?" - Futurama

Lucasfilm didn't get their approval 30 years ago to use their likenesses. Christine Hewitt gave them the go-ahead at Celebration III, but Angela Staines stepped in and said they could not make that figure since it was "her" character, and Hasbro wanted to avoid any legal trouble. Hewitt has since died, and Hasbro told me that the only way to make the figures now would be to wait for Staines to die as well.

Huh. What if they only made the one and we could buy two of them?Because supposedly the actress who won't give over her rights says nobody can tell which Tonnika she is, therefore a figure of either COULD be her likeness.

Also, this is a LFL issue, not a Hasbro one. And unless Angela Staines' family doesn't pursue a claim, even after her death it could be held up in court.

I too was considering that joke. :D ........of course it was a joke.

Anyone see the questions from Sandtroopers.com? 3 questions/ 3 complaints. I don't know if its the rule with them, it probably isn't, but I think they ought to strike a better balance between praise and criticism lest hasbro think we're all unappreciative *expletives*.

I totally disagree with their question: 1) In every Hasbro Q&A I have seen, every site complains about wanting more playsets, more playsets, MORE PLAYSETS!! Now the Sarlacc Pit and the Lars Homestead playsets are coming out and most people are underwhelmed by these offerings. To be honest, they're rather lame and have very high price tags. What kind of marketing research was done for these playsets? I really don't see the Lars Homestead set as being a good seller at all. Shouldn't playsets be based on scenes of major action in the movies therefore making it an exciting piece that children as well as collectors would want to buy? The Lars Homestead is not. Our fear is that these are test items. So my question comes down to this - If the Sarlacc Pit and Lars Homestead playsets don't sell well, will we see a further turning away from Hasbro manufacturing playsets?

They seem to want to encourage Hasbro to make playsets yet they're telling them that the ones they've put out are crap (they aren't) and that they won't sell because kids won't be interested? Bit of a paradox. I'm thrilled by Hasbros upcoming battlepacks and am thoroughly relieved that in at least the cases of the Homestead and the Yavin pack Hasbro have opted to not necessarily go for the kiddie market - nice, as an adult collector, to have some acknowledgment. I don't expect the homestead to be the most detailed or in-scale* piece nor do I care that the figures are repacks I don't need, but since its unlikely we'd have gotten it any other way I'm very happy. To me that little hut will really add to the appearance of my purchase of the droids scene - I won't even use it as a hut - I'll pretend its a sheltered stairway down into the 'actual home'.

*having said that I do hope Yodas house will be bigger if they ever make itI hadn't seen that yet, I do my wrap-ups on Sunday evenings or Mondays, and to be honest, I'm a bit surprised, they usually aren't like that, it came off as a tonal shift IIRC. But Hasbro knows we're not all like that, they put up with CreatureCantina's shenanigans that were far ruder. I guarantee you that bashing alone won't kill ideas with Hasbro, it'll make them think about execution perhaps, but only sales will really determine the future, from what I can tell.

El Chuxter

08-17-2008, 11:14 AM

Insane....

How long was the question up? Do you reckon maybe someone from Toy Maniac wanted to ask a similar question and was lurking here and stole the wording? Too bad you can't copyright stuff like that.

Devo

08-17-2008, 09:21 PM

I knew that question seemed familiar!! And thats not a site I tend to visit.

JediTricks

08-19-2008, 12:34 AM

Insane....

How long was the question up? Do you reckon maybe someone from Toy Maniac wanted to ask a similar question and was lurking here and stole the wording? Too bad you can't copyright stuff like that.Since July 17th, I believe. I doubt Raving Toy Maniac thinks about our site at all, but the thought did cross my mind, I did post the above question without saying "which one of you in the forums" because it could be someone outside just as easily, and I'd want them to fess up too. Technically, the moment anybody writes anything, if it's original it's copyrighted, but protecting unregistered copyrights is another matter. Anyway, I always wondered if this would happen, we've had questions answered on other sites that were very close but different enough to be coincidence, but they used our exact wording and very specific examples.

I knew that question seemed familiar!! And thats not a site I tend to visit.For me, I'm so buried in editing this thing that the second I saw it my jaw dropped.

bigbarada

08-19-2008, 12:46 AM

Since July 17th, I believe. I doubt Raving Toy Maniac thinks about our site at all, but the thought did cross my mind, I did post the above question without saying "which one of you in the forums" because it could be someone outside just as easily, and I'd want them to fess up too. Technically, the moment anybody writes anything, if it's original it's copyrighted, but protecting unregistered copyrights is another matter. Anyway, I always wondered if this would happen, we've had questions answered on other sites that were very close but different enough to be coincidence, but they used our exact wording and very specific examples.

I remember when we asked the question about the A-Wing Pilot helmet, that very same week Rebelscum asked essentially the same question.

Cane_Adiss

08-19-2008, 02:19 PM

I'm actually happy with the current R2-B1 figure, so a redo would only irritate me as I would be tempted to buy essentially the same figure over again. Just like I bought 2 nearly identical hoth Han's (that I didn't even want) in the past two weeks. Just for droids. Irritating.

I do think its crappy that another site would rip one of our questions off but think about it, at least we got one more of our questions answered and we got to ask 6 of our own. So really, its ToyManiacs loss.

JediTricks

08-20-2008, 12:45 AM

I remember when we asked the question about the A-Wing Pilot helmet, that very same week Rebelscum asked essentially the same question.The wording was WAAAAAY different, but the answer had some of the same wording. What really drove me nuts though is that the answer we got on ActionFigs originally said they will be changing it when they meant "will not", which it took a month for them to correct because of Comic-Con...

July 6th, 2007:
ActionFigs.com: On the upcoming A-wing Pilot figure, he is packed with the incorrect helmet worn by Y-wing Pilots in Return of the Jedi. This error was also made on the Arvel Crynyd figure included in the '98 Rebel Pilots cinema scene, and that figure was repainted and repacked with the green A-wing a few years later. Is it possible for the new figure's helmet to be changed to the proper one (as seen, for instance, on the vintage figure), or if not, why is the error continually being made?
Hasbro: We were unaware of the error, but now that you mention it we will take a look. The figure will [not] likely change from what was shown, since we are so close to production.
---

Rebelscum.com: We LOVE the new A-Wing pilot coming in wave 7! He's perhaps the best-looking pilot figure that Hasbro has produced to date: articulation, deco, the whole package is superb! However, as you are doubtlessly aware, this figure has also caused quite a debate. While a viewing of Return of the Jedi and a review of Star Wars Chronicles will reveal that the helmet is accurate for the pilots seen in the back of the briefing room, and accurate specifically to the pilot that most EU sources refer to as Tycho Celchu, it is NOT the helmet seen on the two pilots that are seen FLYING A-Wings during the attack on the second Death Star. We've heard rumors from other sites that there are plans to release Arvel Crynyd (the pilot that crashes into the bridge of the Executor) next year - any chance that you'll confirm this rumor, OR at least - that if you did (hypothetically speaking, of course) do Arvel in the future, that you'd do him with this new body and the different headgear appropriate to the A-Wing pilots that we see during the attack. If this is a plan for the future, we most welcome it, as these variation seen in the rebel gear, particularly the pilots from Return of the Jedi, would be welcome (and seemingly easy) additions to the action figure line!
Hasbro: We were unaware of the error...but now that you mention it, we will take a look. The figure will likely not change from what was shown, since we are so close to production. As far as Arvel being re-released, he was on an early list of ideas we had for exclusives, but he has not been slotted in or confirmed yet so it's nothing more than an idea. The idea to re-release was inspired by the creation of this new tooled figure, though, so if we did, that would be the body we'd use. In light of the helmet issue, we'd look to do the most accurate one for any future reuse of the figure.You guys have no idea how much that stuff kills me.

I'm actually happy with the current R2-B1 figure, so a redo would only irritate me as I would be tempted to buy essentially the same figure over again. Just like I bought 2 nearly identical hoth Han's (that I didn't even want) in the past two weeks. Just for droids. Irritating.

I do think its crappy that another site would rip one of our questions off but think about it, at least we got one more of our questions answered and we got to ask 6 of our own. So really, its ToyManiacs loss.
Yeah, I have thought of that as the saving grace, but it was REALLY close that I didn't use that R2-B1 question, it had the votes to make it and a couple extra to spare, it wasn't in the bottom slot. And we didn't get credit for asking it, which is a little important to me, I work really hard editing these and you guys work really hard coming up with great new questions that aren't just the same stuff the other sites ask.

Cane_Adiss

08-20-2008, 12:57 AM

And we didn't get credit for asking it, which is a little important to me, I work really hard editing these and you guys work really hard coming up with great new questions that aren't just the same stuff the other sites ask.

Well, I for one totally appreciate the work you put into these forums. It really gives me something to look forward to every day, as lame as that sounds. Yesihavenolife:cross-eye.

JediTricks

08-20-2008, 02:19 PM

Hasbro has gotten back to us with the complete answer on the Y-wing droid slot:

SSG: Follow up from the last round, the Y-wing Droid Slot Q&A exchange (see the previous round below -JT) left us a little confused as the bomb-dropping gimmick has been on that toy since its inception in the Kenner ROTJ line when it had the aforementioned droid slot, and were hoping to get clarification on what happened here...
* UPDATED Hasbro: Yes, it was our mistake on that one. Very sorry. The answer, as it turns out, was not mechanism-related, but aesthetic-related. The Power of the Force droids would not fit into the vintage droid slot, and it would have had to have been made bigger to accommodate. At the time, the Lucasfilm team did not like the aesthetic, and the direction was to tool it over. As a result, the slot was removed. Given that fans like to have interactivity with the droid slots, we will keep this in mind for any future retoolings we might have the opportunity to do with this vehicle, and will discuss with Lucasfilm.